Top French Restaurants in Dallas

I am married to a Frenchman who is very snotty about French restaurants not located in France! His rule of thumb is if the word “French” is in the name or a French Flag in the logo… steer clear! He also prefers to dine at restaurants that have an authentic French chef. That being said, I thought I would do a post to share our (aka HIS) favorite French-approved restaurants in Dallas!

Cadot – I completely judged this North Dallas shopping strip restaurant until we stepped inside and conversed with the French chef, Jean-Marie Cadot. Everything here is made from scratch (fait maison) and is absolutely delicious! On the weekends they have a live accordion player who will wander table to table and play romantic tunes for you and your significant other. So romantic and delicious! Definitely a special occasion place.

Lavendou – We were introduced to this gem in North Dallas on a double date. The atmosphere was very authentic French (which I can attest to since we lived there for 2 years) and the food was delicious! They have a great international wine selection and the Frenchman loved his veau (veal) dish and I loved our chocolate soufflé for dessert!

St. Martins – We visited St. Martins during Valentine’s Day one year with a preset menu complete with wine pairings. Located on Lower Greenville it has a really fun vibe and is very lively at night with the San Francisco Rose located right next door. Make sure to order a Kir Royale while you wait at the bar and listen to live music! (Kir Royale is cassis or raspberry liqueur with champagne. You will not regret it!)

Rise No 1 – If you have not been to this Dallas hot spot, you MUST go! From the indoor twinkly lights in the trees to the incredible soufflés, this restaurant will not disappoint! It has a great atmosphere for a birthday dinner, date night, or special celebration. I spotted George W. and Laura Bush here one time which was added bonus! Make sure you get the marshmallow soup and try a flight of wine (including champagne) or beer!

Boulevardier – Tucked away in Bishop Arts District this place was incredible. The wine selection is extensive and the wait staff was especially knowledgeable and helpful! Although not super French, they do offer a GREAT selection of seafood including several oyster dishes, mussels and Gulf shrimp. Make sure to order the French onion soup!

Mercat Bistro – A great little gem located in Uptown. Quaint and small, perfect for a date night! The food wasn’t the BEST we’ve had (although the Frenchman loved his coq-au-vin) and it is a bit on the pricier side, but the ambiance and location are really great.

If you have any others to add to this list, please comment below! We would LOVE to try them out on our next date night!

About Abby Misegades

Abby is a wife to Logan and Mom to Stella (January 2013) and Chloé (March 2015). She was raised in Lake Highlands and moved back after college to pursue her Corporate Marketing career with two major retailers here in Dallas. All her goals and plans changed after a whirlwind weekend in California where she experienced love at first sight with a Frenchman. A year later they were married and moved overseas to embark on a 2 year fairytale living and working in France at a B&B in the French Countryside. After her daughter was born, they made the bittersweet decision to come back to Texas to plant roots. Now she spends her days juggling 2 little girls and running a couple of businesses part-time from home. She enjoys drinking French wine, spends way too much time picking the perfect Emojis for her text messages, refinishing furniture, and is a complete Netflix snob. You can follow her blog Bonjour, Y'all or find her on IG overgramming pics of her darling girls at @mrsfrenchy.